


Dear Mr. Rogers

by Cat (ActualBuckyBarnes)



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: And Hatemail, Angst, Aromantic Natasha Romanov, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bisexual Tony Stark, Drabble, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, One-Shot, Opening Fanmail, Pansexual Clint Barton, Romance, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-25 00:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6173650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ActualBuckyBarnes/pseuds/Cat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The day after Steve publicly announces his relationship with his best friend, James Buchanon Barnes, the mail starts rolling in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dear Mr. Rogers

"Mr. Rogers, is there anybody you are currently seeing?" the interviewer asked, her pen clicking again and asked the question that seemed to find its way into every single interview or Q&A.

"As a matter of fact-" Steve shuffled around in his seat nervously, "Yes." he finished meekly, thinking back to that day at the Pontiac, when Bucky had stayed. They had kissed about three weeks after the Pontiac incident and were dating- a fact the Avengers readily accepted. The Stark Expo- Tony had decided to do a unit on Super-Soldiers this year- exploded uproariously.

"Calm down, calm down." Steve smiled easily, the feeling of nerves fluttering in his chest again. Eventually the audience had quieted down enough for the same interviewer to raise her voice over them again.

"Who's the lucky gal?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Well... um..." Steve blushed, "It's- and we've talked about telling everybody beforehand, so it's not like I'm going without their permission- It's James Barnes."

The Stark Expo exploded uproariously.

.o0o.

"Hey, Cap." Tony smiled languidly at Steve after the Expo, "You did _great_! You think you can do that again next year?"

"Not sure they'll want me back." Steve said vaguely, burying his face in his hands.

"Of course they will, you've knocked out Hitler over 200 times." Bucky joked, kissing Steve on the cheek.

"Why wouldn't they?" Nat said, dropping down from the air vent because screw hallways, she was a spy.

"Just- watch the footage. Turn on the news, I'm sure it'll be there." Steve rolled his eyes.

"JARVIS, do as the man says." Tony said calmly to the AI.

"Of course, Sir." JARVIS responded. The screen of the TV in the common room flickered to life, and indeed, there was a flashy headline that read, "Captain America Is Gay(?)"

"Ah." Bucky laughed lightly, "So you've told them."

"Least they could do was find a better headline, I mean, there were better Twitter tags than that!" Clint chuckled as he followed Nat's lead through the air vent.

"Remember when #Captain Assmerica was trending?" Nat brought up the incident.

"We all remember that, Nat." Steve said, trying not to laugh along with the rest of the team.

"I know, but it was hilarious." Nat smiled.

"And anyway, Steve." Tony said seriously, "I am definitely here for you if you need a friend. After all, I _was_ the one who shut down the weapons program for a company whose only purpose was to make weapons, so I've gotten my fair share of hate throughout the years. And hey, at least you two can annoy the public too with your constant affections now."

"I guess we can." Steve said happily, as Bucky brought their lips together again for a kiss.

"And as a pansexual, I know where you're coming from." Clint said, flopping down in a chair, "So I'm here too."

"As an aromantic I have no clue in Hell what you people are doing," Nat said evenly, smiling when everyone laughed.

"I hope you two find happiness." Bruce smiled from the doorway, "But you should probably get some sleep. People are probably already writing mail." 

"That's true." Tony chuckled, "You two should get some sleep, and please, _remember how thin the walls are_."

"That was ONE TIME!" Bucky said lightheartedly, leading Steve to their shared bedroom. Bucky curled up around Steve and kissed his partner's head.

"You think they hate me?" Steve asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"I think if they do, then at least you have the team." Bucky responded soothingly, "And me."

.o0o.

"Hey, Cap!" Tony shouted merrily as the couple paraded down the stairs.

"Hey, Tony." Steve rolled his eyes. Pepper mentioned something to Tony before she headed out to do her Very Important Job.

"What'd she say?" Bruce asked.

"She said there's a crap-ton of mail in the lobby addressed to the one and only-" Tony gestured to Cap somberly.

"Well, then, we'd better start opening it." Nat smiled.

.o0o.

There were around a hundred letters, and all from within the state by the look of them, when Steve arrived in the kitchen.

"Okay, let's get down and dirty." Tony rubbed his hands together. Steve picked up a random envelope and opened it.

_Dear Mr. Rogers,_

Okay, Steve thought to himself, this one looks promising.

_I am so sorry to hear about your condition. I will pray for you every night._

Never-mind. Steve sighed and continued reading.

_I hope that the power of The Lord will help you, a good, Christian man, to recover._

"And that's enough of that," Clint said, snatching the letter away from Steve.

"How about we make a 'keep', a 'respond, and an 'incinerate' pile?" Bruce suggested.

"Sounds good, Jolly Green." Tony smirked, as Clint threw Steve's previous letter in what would clearly be the 'incinerate' pile without even letting Steve read the signature, disgust obvious on his face.

"Back at it then," Tony remarked, throwing his letter in the 'incinerate' pile and picking up another.

_Dear Captain America,_

_My mommy says I shouldn't be writing this letter, but I really liked what you did. I kinda like guys, too. My daddy says that's bad. Sometimes I can't get out of bed, because I feel sad. Maybe if you like guys, that means I can too!_

_Love,_

_Timothy Laine, 9_

Steve's heart broke for this little boy, and he put the letter in the 'respond' pile. He couldn't help but notice how large the 'incinerate' pile was already.

_Hey Faggot,_

"Nope," Bucky said, grabbing the letter out of Steve's hand. Steve didn't protest and picked up another one, to find that it was just a drawing. It was a picture drawn by a little girl holding hands with two older women, labeled _Me, Linda Lu_ , _Mommy, Lucy Lu_ , and _Mom, Bella Lu_ , along with a chicken-scratched _We love you!_ and a note from both women. _Thank you for supporting us, may you find happiness!_ in a loopy handwriting with an equally beautiful signature. The other note read, _We thank you for being you. The future is here, indeed!_ in slightly plainer handwriting and a barely legible signature. Steve placed it in the 'keep' pile, feeling tears prick at his eyes and a wide smiled on his face.

_Dear Steve Rogers,_

_I'm supposed to be writing a note of hatred, one of anger. I can't bring myself to. Because I'm just like you. I can't help myself, but my family's going to beat me, disown me even, if I come out. It makes me depressed, but I can't. I just can't. Your admission gives me hope. I hope and I hope, then I get home and my mom's drinking and my dad's out with his "friends". I want to kill myself sometimes._

_From,_

_Lika, age 14_

Steve quickly put that one in the 'respond' pile.

"You aren't going to go on a heroic quest to rescue every kid who comes from a shit family, are you?" Bucky sighed, knowing the answer before it came out of Steve's mouth.

"You know I wish I could, but even I'm not that stupid." Steve said, "Instead, I'm going to do a lot of social justice work."

"Just remember, we're here." Nat's eyes softened as she looked at Steve.

"Of course you are, and I'm going to need your help. You said you were aromantic?"

"And I'm pan, Tony's also bi, and Bruce is-" Clint looked confused.

"Just as confused as you are, thanks." Bruce laughed.

"Okay, we start soon." Steve smiled, "We did want a villain, now didn't we?"

.o0o.

"Captain America, here to speak on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community, will deliver his speech now." the announcer said with a small smile at the Pride ceremony.

"Hello, everybody." Steve's voice boomed through the amps, "A few months ago, I came out as bi. I have a wonderful boyfriend. On the night I came out, I received so much fanmail the whole team and quite a few of our friends-" the operative word for 'SHIELD agents', "Needed to pitch in to get it all read. I've chosen two to read aloud."

"Dear Mr. Rogers,

I feel unloved. My father keeps telling me that being the way I am is wrong, my mother looks at me like I'm a slug or something. I get bullied at school. My friends left me when they found out that I'm gay. I feel depressed, almost suicidal at times. But I'm not worth the fuss. Please don't reply. I regret sending this. Thank you for being you, it gives me some small amount of hope.

From,

Cheshire, age 16."

"Kids shouldn't feel like this!" Steve exclaimed angrily, "They should be having fun, exploring the world, not contemplating suicide! This is why we don't just need _rights_ , we need acceptance!"

"The next one's from Melanie Parker, age 10.

Dear Captain America,

One of my best friends is bisexual, and I applaud you for showing him that it's okay. His family hates him, and he's been living with my family for a while because his own disowned him. He lived on the streets for almost a week before my mother found him huddled on a bench, in the middle of nowhere. His own mother is threatening to call Child Protection Services because mine is offering him a home. Your admission was a fantastic mood boost for him, and he smiles a lot more now.

Keep on keepin' on."

"This kid's _ten_! And not to mention the fact that his mother is taking extra measures to make sure he stays on the street! He has eleven years before he'll be able to do anything as an adult! You are not a failure as a parent when your kid is gay, or bi, or trans, you are a failure as a parent when you disown your own kid. The one you were supposed to love unconditionally. The amount of letters like this was overwhelming. We need to change this! Spread understanding and love, not ignorance and hatred." Steve said with conviction, stepping down from the podium to ear-shattering applause which grew into wolf-whistles when Bucky placed a kiss to Steve's forehead.

.o0o.

"Gay marriage is legal throughout the US!" Tony cheered, pumping his fist on the fateful night.

"Woo!" everybody cheered. Bucky and Steve grinned and kissed.

.o0o.

"Mr. Stark, in light of recent events," a male voice in the throng of others stood out, "Is Captain America still an Avenger?"

"You take the opportunity to ask that question _now_?" Tony laughed, "And yes, Cap's still an Avenger. Hell, I'm bi, Clint's pan, Nat's aro, and Bruce is confused as all Hell and still questioning. So yes, before you ask, Stark Industries _does_ support the LGBTQ+ community." he left the hall to, instead of loud shouts, a shocked silence from the hall of conservatives.

.o0o.

"There was this boy I love," Steve smiled as he stood up during 'team dinner', "He was a little bit messy, a little bit ruined, a beautiful disaster, just like me. See, we were us before our time. When I went under the ice, it was for America. When I came back up, it was for Bucky. I don't just love him, I _adore_ him. Bucky," Steve got down on one knee and faced the man in the chair adjacent to his, "Will you marry me?"

"Of course, you punk." Buck said, blinking back tears as Steve slid the ring onto Bucky's finger.

"Jerk." Steve's lips moved against Bucky's.

"Ten dollars." Nat said quietly to Clint, who slipped her the money begrudgingly under the table.

.o0o.

Jonny Cash's "You Are My Sunshine" played during the summer in Boston. Coney island was hosting a wedding. Steve's grin was enormous. Slow tears leaked down his face when he realized that Peggy was walking Bucky down the aisle.

"You still owe me a dance." She said firmly to Steve. It seemed that she was determined to have a good day on Steve's wedding.

"Of course." Steve's eyes twinkled. The wedding ceremony proceeded with no outbursts from Tony- who was surprisingly respectful-, no calls from SHIELD, and no Soviet attacks (for once). When the time for vows came, Steve knew what he was going to do.

"Dear Steve Rogers and James Barnes," Bucky smiled when he realized it was one of the letters that started arriving almost a year ago- the letters that were still arriving almost daily.

"Me and my girlfriend applaud you for being yourself. Of course, we've faced our challenges, but none as great as yours. We wish you happiness and luck in your endeavors and would like an invitation to the wedding.

Love,  
Charlie and Gilda, ages 22 and 23." Steve smiled.

"Steve, we sure have faced the odds, haven't we?" Bucky chuckled, "But through some act of God, or Thor, or whatever, we've managed to survive. We love each other and I would definitely kill for you and die for you, although I would greatly appreciate it if you made me do neither. And just remember, punk, I'm with you 'till the end of the line."

They were still smiling when the priest said the fateful words, "You may now kiss the groom."

They were still smiling when they danced the night away.

They would stay smiling for a long time.

Steve became a notable Human Rights Activist, even getting Loki to admit his gender-fluidity on camera (and nobody would mess with Loki- I mean, come on, you'd have to be stupid to do that).

Bucky helped him every step of the way, not one for the spotlight after the whole Winter Soldier thing.

As it turns out, same-sex marriage wasn't too uncommon on Asgard, so Steve managed to get a few gods to speak about it.

Tony eventually married Pepper, too, so don't get your panties in a bunch. Nat remained aromantic and asexual, preferring just to have friends she loved.

"So here's to us, a group of badass crime-fighters reduced to talking about things like being gay or gender fluid on camera." Tony joked, raising a glass of wine.

"Here's to us." Steve rolled his eyes as he raised his glass along with the entire table.


End file.
